Lake Beshear
Christian County, Kentucky794 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 4 in the county
- Public access
Lake Beshear in Christian County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 794 acres.
- Area
- 794 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Beshear’s letter
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Lake Beshear is a 794-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Christian County, Kentucky. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Christian County, Lake Beshear ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2021-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 794 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Beshear, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake Beshear
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.38 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Beshear is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Beshear Lake Dam (completed 1962), built primarily for water supply on the Piny Creek; earth-type dam, 38 ft tall and 550 ft long.
- Surface area
- 794 ac
- Normal storage
- 7,809 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 17,837 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 28 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00044 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Christian County
Nearby Lakes in Christian County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Beshear
Where is Lake Beshear?
- Lake Beshear is a lake in Christian County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Beshear?
- Lake Beshear in Christian County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 794 acres.
Is Lake Beshear safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Lake Beshear across LakeQuality
More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
51 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2016–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX51 samples · 2016–2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.